


Typical

by scy



Category: Torchwood
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-01-01
Updated: 2010-01-01
Packaged: 2017-10-05 14:21:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,761
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/42648
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/scy/pseuds/scy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes the time after hours is just as important.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Typical

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Jane St. Clair as a birthday drabble. It got longer. ::shrugs:: Points if you catch the crossover references.

The case came from Jack, which was odd when considered by itself, but Ianto didn't question his boss, and he left the inquiries to Owen, who made everyone else's questions sound reasonable after he'd opened his mouth.

"The girl's name is Gemma Masters. She came down to Cardiff on Thursday evening with a couple of friends and got attacked. There were signs of a struggle at the scene, but authorities weren't able to come up with any suspects on account of the fact that the girl says they were invisible. She has since gone to stay with family in London."

"Is she hurt?" Suzie asked.

"No, she's fine. A couple scrapes, nothing serious," Jack said.

"Then why do we care?" Owen demanded bluntly.

Jack smiled on the edge of impatience and went on. "Invisibility isn't as common as you might think. Given the area she was in, I'd guess that there's a good chance the Rift spit something out and it's been slinking around since."

"How did we get word about this?" Suzie asked. She had taken down the details and fixed on Jack for anything else he could tell them that might be relevant.

"I got a call from her uncle, he told me what happened and suggested we look into it, seeing as how he couldn't pin the culprit to a wall."

"And how does he have our number?" Suzie wondered.

"There are some people who resist retcon," Jack said.

"That doesn't explain how he knew to get in touch with you, or how he knew what it could be." Even more than Owen, Suzie pushed at Jack when she thought she needed more than he wanted to tell.

"He's an expert in his own field," Jack countered and looked bored with explanations. "Look, I know it's not a lot to go on, but just check out the reports, review the surveillance and see if there's any other incidents reported in the last couple months. In the meantime, I'll head out there and take a look."

The team scattered and Ianto was left to pick up their coffee mugs and pastry wrappers.

When Jack returned to the Hub, he went directly up into his office and dialed on a secure line. Ianto always stayed close, and he happened to be outside the door for a moment before Jack beckoned him inside.

"Put me through to him, right away." Jack waited a couple seconds and then went on. "I checked the entire neighborhood out. No, it's nothing strange, not for Cardiff at any rate. I've got a few ideas about what went after Gemma, but it's going to take a couple days to track it down." He paused and Ianto could tell from the way Jack was listening that the person on the other end was talking very fast. "No, it's not because of you. Gemma probably just gives off a little more energy than most people do, and things around the Rift tend to pick up on that. I'd use the standard protection sigils and keep her away from here for the time being. Yeah, it does get old, but at least I know which direction the danger is coming from."

There was more from the receiver, and Jack winced. "I get that, John, but don't think I'm going to have you messing about this town, not when a near-mundane set things off like this. I'll keep in touch. Bye now." He hung up and smiled at Ianto. "Have you got any coffee brewing, Ianto? I could use some."

"Right away, sir." When Jack was in the Hub Ianto automatically refreshed the coffee every hour or so in case the captain wanted a fresh cup. He brought a mug up to Jack and handed it over, staying to watch Jack inhale deeply and nod approvingly and then he headed back to his desk.

Tosh and Owen squabbled over samples Jack had brought back and whether Owen's lab work took priority over Toshiko wiping the records clean of witness reports. Jack let the argument stew until Toshiko said something in Japanese that Ianto wouldn't admit to his mother that he understood and then Suzie intervened.

"Jack, if you don't do something about those two Ianto will be redoing the floors again."

"That's enough, then." Jack said, coming out from behind his desk, which was a signal that he was serious. "And I don't want to hear who started it, we need to get this done, and the more you fight, the longer I'm thinking of putting you in timeout."

"We don't get timeout in Torchwood," Owen snapped.

Jack glanced at him significantly. "You know how we've got loads of empty cells downstairs, Owen? I could fill them and justify the electric bill."

Toshiko had been chastised and was already working twice as hard, Suzie nudged her as she walked by, an assurance that there was nothing but heat behind Jack's threat. Owen took a bit longer and he tried to outstare Jack, the other man remaining in his doorway, eyes on Owen's until Dr. Harper deflated and nodded. He returned to running a cross section of the unidentified sample against every other available database, biting down hard on his pen whenever the computer came up empty.

Ianto had spent so many hours in the Hub past five that he didn't check the time unless he knew the team was on a deadline. There were nights when everybody stayed after in the Hub. It wasn't often; most cases could be worked through and solved in a few hours, but at times, things were more complicated and they had to take measures.

Around seven, Ianto ducked out and brought back the first round of provisions and after that it was strictly delivery. Jack said something about it being too late for Ianto to be on the road when he was as exhausted as everyone else and at that point Ianto knew it was easier to let it be and just looked over the next file passed his way.

When the pizza boxes were empty and even the last tub of vanilla and caramel ice cream had been scraped clean, Toshiko let her computer shift into sleep mode and slipped her glasses off as she rubbed sleep away for a couple minutes longer.

Owen had been shuffling his reports in and out of order without discernible progress and Suzie wasn't even  
trying to make her notes legible anymore.

"It's probably something that got stuck on its way through the Rift," Owen postulated, voice bored and scratchy. "Maybe it's outside our field of visual perception or it could be part of what happened as it came over. But we won't know for sure, the search is still running."

There was nothing to do until the computer compiled analysis from the lab, so by silent agreement, everyone put their heads down and were asleep before they noticed. Jack, out of all of them never gave in to the same weariness, but he didn't wake anyone up to scold them for shirking their duties. Once they'd closed their eyes he said 'going off duty' in a soft voice and let them be. In a few moments he came around with blankets and draped them over Owen and the girls. Ianto was still awake, fighting sleep and trying to make out a set of numbers that blurred in front of his eyes.

"Come on, Ianto, that's enough," Jack murmured and tugged him upwards. Ianto knew where he was being led and so he moved his feet as helpfully as he could, succeeding in not tripping on the way to the couch.

Jack lowered Ianto onto the cushions and eased him over to his side. He untied Ianto's shoes, deftly tugged them off and placed both on the floor near the cough. A blanket was tucked around Ianto as he blinked wearily and Jack bent down to smile at him.

"Time to let it go, Ianto. You can take it on again when you're rested."

"You'd better get some sleep too, sir," Ianto admonished and saw Jack give him a gentle look. He reached out and smoothed Ianto's hair back and then stood up.

"Good night, Ianto."

"Night, sir." Ianto let his eyes close, knowing Jack wouldn't stir to his bed until Ianto and the others had found sleep.

Jack headed back into his office, and Ianto heard the phone ring. Minutes later Jack came out again, pulling his coat on and looking concerned and excited. He paused by the couch and spoke softly. "Alright, I've got a lead on this thing, I'll be back in a couple hours so long as it goes well."

"Will you be needing assistance?" Ianto asked fuzzily, nearly asleep but prepared to let duty pull him upright if he was needed.

"No, I've got someone waiting, he's a bit impatient with the wheels of bureaucracy." Jack tapped his earpiece and adjusted his shoulder holster. "I'll be in touch, don't wake the others."

"Yes, sir." Ianto put on his own earpiece in the unlikely event Jack decided he wanted help beyond directions and lay drowsing for a time before sleep caught him up.

Around dawn, Jack returned, walking unsteadily and humming to himself. Ianto rolled off the couch, practice keeping him from hitting the floor, even half-asleep and he took the sack Jack passed him, noticing the light green tendrils poking through the top.

"Sir?"

"It's incapacitated, Ianto, put it downstairs in one of the cells."

"What is it?"

"Haven't a clue, but those vines are sharp at high velocity." Jack held up on hand and Ianto saw a bandage wrapped neatly around his palm.

"You caught it, though," Ianto pointed out.

"I had some help," Jack said.

"Will that be a problem?"

"What? Oh no, if anything John still owes me a favor." Jack smiled and Ianto saw that his shirttails were untucked.

"I see," Ianto said politely.

Jack saw where he was looking and shrugged. "You know how it is. Everyone else still asleep?"

"All of them."

"Except you."

"You might have needed me."

"Always." Jack hung his coat up and offered, "You could have a look at me to make sure I'm alright."

"If you're flirting, sir, I know you're fine."

"Is that a no?"

"Not this time, I'd better get this thing secured."

"You do that."

Ianto turned to go and Jack called after him.

"Ianto, I appreciate your concern."

"Just doing my job, sir," Ianto said and headed toward the sub-basement, taking care not to wake the others.


End file.
